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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Trial Highlights From 8th Day of Testimony
The 8th day of testimony in the Diddy trial is in the books and prosecutors are still trying to gain headway on the racketeering charges against the mogul ... and one of their witnesses even thinks he helped Diddy's defense. Wednesday opened with Homeland Security Investigations agent Gerard Gannon detailing more about a raid on Diddy's home on Star Island ... a search that turned up guns, ammo, drugs, lube, baby oil, sex toys and lingerie. Interesting stuff ... and maybe the guns help prosecutors prove a RICO case against Diddy ... 'cause some of the serial numbers on the magazines were scratched off. Next up on the witness stand was psychologist Dawn Hughes ... and she testified about reasons victims stay in abusive relationships. The defense characterized Dawn as a professional witness -- she also testified in the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial and will do so in trials involving Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly -- but folks in the court room tell us jurors seemed to be interested in what she had to say. The third and final witness was George Kaplan ... a former executive assistant for Diddy who testified about setting hotel rooms up for freak offs ... complete with lube, baby oil and candles. He also said Diddy gave him money and a number to call to secure drugs, and Kaplan would execute the transaction and give the drugs to Diddy. Prosecutors again seem to be trying to prove a criminal enterprise being run by Diddy -- the RICO charge -- and Kaplan will be back on the stand Thursday when court resumes. Kid Cudi is also expected to testify ... and he could help prosecutors gain major ground if he has evidence Diddy blew up his car ... but if Kid Cudi only has second hand knowledge Diddy was behind the incident, the defense will pounce and use hearsay to block his testimony. No one really knows what Kid Cudi will have to say ... so stay tuned. Outside the courtroom, we talked with exotic dancer "The Punisher" on "TMZ Live" ... and he told us he doesn't know why prosecutors called him as a witness and believes his testimony may have helped Diddy, because he didn't see any criminal aspects to his sexual encounters with Diddy and Cassie. Never a dull moment in the Diddy trial!!!
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside the 'playroom' at Diddy's $40million mansion: Assault rifles, rope, drugs, sex toys and bottle after bottle of baby oil
Jurors stared intently at a gun taken from Sean ' Diddy ' Combs' Miami mansion in a dramatic moment on day eight of his sex trafficking trial. The panel of 12 people and six alternates locked their eyes on the .45 calibre pistol as it was held up by Homeland Security agent Gerard Gannon. He walked the weapon in front of the jury at the court in New York yesterday, one of several physical exhibits brought in from the property on Star Island, a celebrity enclave which is home to Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Estefan. The jury also saw photos taken on the day of the raid in March last year that amounted to a disturbing window into the hip-hop mogul's lifestyle. Even though he was a multi-millionaire living in one of the most exclusive areas of the country, the rapper's playroom was home to illegal drugs, AR-15 assault rifles, sex toys, boxes of platform shoes and dozens of bottles of baby oil in his closet. Prosecutors have claimed that Combs, 55, used baby oil for his sex parties, which he called 'Freak Offs' and forced his ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura to take part in with male escorts. Jurors paid close attention as agent Gannon walked them through dozens of photos and physical exhibits taken from the $40million (£30million) home. Agent Gannon told the court they used an armoured vehicle to smash open the gate to gain entry as quickly as possible. Even though he was a multi-millionaire living in one of the most exclusive areas of the country, the rapper's playroom was home to illegal drugs, AR-15 assault rifles, sex toys, boxes of platform shoes and dozens of bottles of baby oil in his closet He said this was the 'quickest and safest option' and was 'standard practice' to 'not allow bad actors to set up [shooting] positions to harm law enforcement'. Normally raids happen at 6am but they did this one at 3.40pm because Homeland Security – which oversees investigations into human trafficking – knew Combs and his family were going to be flying overseas. The court heard how 80 to 90 agents were involved in the raid, where a collection of women's footwear as well as a rope were found. Agent Gannon said in total they found 13 pairs of high heels as he held up a bag showing a red pair. In one drawer in a closet, investigators found 25 bottles of baby oil and 31 bottles of Astroglide, a lubricant prosecutors claim Combs used in Freak Offs. Prosecutors asked if that was all the baby oil found in the house. 'It was not,' agent Gannon replied. The court was told how inside a Gucci bag various drugs were found which tested positive for cocaine, ketamine and MDMA. There were also tablets with a Tesla logo on them that tested positive for MDMA, and a straw and a $100 note which tested positive for cocaine and ketamine. And a bag of ten brown capsules that were found tested positive for psilocybin – the active ingredient in mushrooms. In another dramatic moment, agent Gannon cut open a plastic bag containing the top part of one of two AR-15 assault rifles that were found wrapped in a white towel in the closet. He also held up bags containing ammunition to members of the jury. Combs denies sex trafficking and other charges. He faces life in prison if convicted. The trial continues.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diddy trial Day 8: Lipstick-stained mirrors, boxes of platform heels and new sordid testimony highlight key evidence today
Jurors stared intently at a gun taken from Diddy 's $40 million Miami mansion in a dramatic moment on day eight of his sex trafficking trial. The panel of 12 people and six alternates locked their eyes on the .45 caliber pistol as it was held up by Homeland Security agent Gerard Gannon. He walked the weapon in front of the jury at the court in New York, one of several physical exhibits brought into court from the property on Star Island, a celebrity enclave that is home to Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Estefan. The jury also saw photos taken on the day of the raid last March that amounted to a disturbing window into Diddy's lifestyle. Even though he was a multimillionaire living in one of the most exclusive areas of the country, he kept illegal drugs, AR-15 assault rifles, boxes of platform shoes and dozens of bottles of baby oil in his closet. Prosecutors have claimed that Diddy used baby oil for 'Freak Offs' with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, sexual performances with male escorts she was forced to take part in. Diddy, 55, whose real name is Sean Combs, denies sex trafficking and other charges and faces life in prison if found convicted. Here wraps up the key evidence from the 8th day of the trial. THE SEARCH ON DIDDY'S MIAMI HOME Jurors paid close attention as agent Gannon walked them through dozens of photos and physical exhibits taken from the Miami home. Gannon told the court they used an armored vehicle to smash open the gate to gain entry as quickly as possible. He said that this was the 'quickest and safest option' and was 'standard practice' to 'not allow bad actors to set up (shooting) positions to harm law enforcement'. Normally raids happen at 6am but they did this one at 3.40pm because Homeland Security - which oversees investigations into human trafficking - knew Diddy and his family were going to be flying overseas. Gannon said that in total they found 13 pairs of high-heeled shoes: he held up a bag for the jury showing a red pair. In one drawer in a closet, investigators found 25 bottles of baby oil and 31 bottles of Astroglide, a lubricant prosecutors claim Diddy used in Freak Offs. A box of 'food grade' nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, was next to the drawer. Prosecutors asked Gannon if that was all the baby oil found in the house. 'It was not,' Gannon replied. The court was told that various bags of drugs were found inside a small personal Gucci bag which tested positive for cocaine, ketamine and MDMA, a pure form of ecstasy. There were also tablets that tested positive for MDMA which had a Tesla logo on them and a straw, and a $100 bill which tested positive for cocaine and ketamine. A bag of 10 brown capsules in the Gucci bag tested positive for psilocybin - the active ingredient in mushrooms. Among the other photos shown to the jury was one of Diddy's cluttered bathrooms showing the surfaces filled with bottles and items. On the mirror were bizarre messages scrawled in lipstick and makeup including one which read 'Onward motion'. Another message apparently written in the same handwriting below read: 'What do you WANT?' Others were written in red lipstick and read: 'You a legend and quite stn Team Puffy' and 'Love you love Diddy'. In another dramatic moment, Gannon cut open the top part of a plastic bag containing the top part of one of two AR-15 assault rifles that were found wrapped in a white towel in the closet. He held it up with two hands for the jury to see. He also held up bags containing ammunition for the weapons so that the jury could see them. A box of an upmarket erectile dysfunction drug called Vital Honey was photographed as well: the product contains tadalafil, the main ingredient in Cialis, a more powerful alternative to Viagra. Among the other images was a green small suitcase that appeared to have bags of marijuana inside: Gannon did not confirm this was a drug. Jurors could see two dildos sitting on one of the shelves in the closet. PROSECUTION SEXUAL ASSAULT AND TRAUMA EXPERT Prosecutors called Dr Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist who specializes in trauma and traumatic stress. She has previously testified at many high-profile trials including Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard. Dr Hughes was called to explain to the jury why individuals stay in relationships even when there is domestic violence, how individuals cope in such relationships, and how their memory could be affected, among other issues. Dr Hughes - who had not interviewed either Diddy or Ventura - said it was 'very common' for victims of abuse to stay in a relationship. Victims feel 'entrapped' because they are seeking love and affection but when it comes with violence and abuse it becomes 'very hard for the victim to see the way out'. According to Dr Hughes, victims find themselves 'walking on eggshells' and fearing they are next going to get hit. Dr Hughes said that sexual abuse was 'so inherently damaging' that it made it especially likely a victim would not leave her abuser. She said: 'They experience a tremendous amount of shame, humiliation, degradation. They don't want to think about it in their own brain or come out of their mouth. If it's something you can't even talk about, these unspeakable acts, it prevents them from getting help.' Victims harked back to the time when their abuser was kind to them, a period Dr Hughes called the 'honeymoon phase'. She said the same phrase could be used to describe the period after abuse when an abuser was apologetic and 'love bombed' their victim. 'It's like a slot machine….when you hit it that's the good feeling you want and that's why they go back. It creates a very powerful bond that's very difficult to leave.' During cross examination, Diddy's lawyer Jonathan Bach tried to suggest that Dr Hughes was a 'professional witness' who had made a 'cottage industry' out of testifying in court. Dr Hughes told the court she charged $600 an hour and was being paid $6,000 for the day for testifying in court. Bach asked: 'Most of your income comes from court-related work, right?' Dr Hughes said: 'That's not correct, maybe about 60 percent comes from court.' Bach asked if Dr Hughes was in 'such demand you can raise your rate?' She said her rate was 'commensurate' with other experts at her level. DIDDY'S FORMER EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT The final witness of the day was George Kaplan, Diddy's former executive assistant who testified under an immunity order signed by the judge overseeing the case. Kaplan said that he worked for Diddy for 15 months from September 2014. He was one of five assistants working for Diddy at the time and he put in working weeks of between 80 and 100 hours. Sometimes his day finished at 7am if Diddy was working late in the studio. Kaplan said that his duties involved being asked by Diddy to buy drugs for him: on one occasion at his Miami home Diddy gave Kaplan a bag of money and a number to call for a dealer who gave him a bag of MDMA pills. Among Kaplan's other roles was setting up a hotel room ahead of Diddy's arrival. Kaplan said he took a bag with him and unpacked the items inside: clothes, a speaker, candles, liquor, baby oil and Astroglide. Combs would stay in the rooms - where prosecutors say he staged Freak offs - for between 12 hours and a few days. Once he had finished, Kaplan would return to tidy up the rooms. Describing what he saw, he said: 'Lots of empty bottles, Gatorade bottles, liquor bottles, often baby oil, on the table on the floor, around the bed. 'On a single occasion, I came across some sort of brown crystalized power on the counter of the bathroom sink. 'I tidied them, I made it as close as it was when I came in.' Asked why he did this, Kaplan said he was 'protecting his (Diddy's) public image'. NEXT WITNESS Prosecutors said that they next planned to call the rapper Kid Cudi aka Scott Mescudi, who briefly dated Diddy's ex-girlfriend Cassandra Ventura in 2011. Ventura has claimed in her civil lawsuit - filed against Diddy in 2023 - that Diddy threatened to blow up Mescudi's car because he was so jealous.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Diddy On Trial Cassie's mum, ‘The Punisher' and gun photos
A warning, this episode contains descriptions of violence and graphic descriptions of sex. On Tuesday, Cassie's mother Regina Ventura testified for the prosecution. She told the court that in 2011 she took out a loan to pay Sean 'Diddy' Combs $20,000, so he would not release explicit tapes of her daughter. He repaid the money shortly after. Exotic dancer Sharay Hayes, known as 'The Punisher', testified that he was hired to perform for Diddy and singer Cassie Ventura between eight and twelve times. Diddy's former assistant David James told the court that Diddy was not aware of everything going on at his house. Prosecutors showed evidence from the raids on Combs' Miami home on Star Island, Florida. This included photos of loaded guns, bullets and sex toys. Scott Mescudi, the rapper known as Kid Cudi, is expected to give evidence later this week. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to the BBC's New York digital reporter, Sakshi Venkatraman about the day in court. Sean 'Diddy' Combs is on trial in New York, facing federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering with conspiracy and transportation for prostitution. He denies all the charges. The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need. We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any questions about the case? Heard a theory that doesn't sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1. Details of organisations in the UK offering information and support with some of the issues raised are available at Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Series Producer: Laura Jones Sound Design: Mark Burrows Senior Journalist: Chrystal Genesis Executive Producer: Louise Clarke Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine Editor: Clare Fordham Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is Jonathan Oddi? Diddy's alleged $5 million ‘sex slave' who stormed Trump's golf resort
Jonathan Oddi claims he had a 5$ million deal with Sean 'Diddy' Combs (Photo: X) A former porn star who once stormed Donald Trump's Florida golf resort in 2018 is now back in the spotlight, this time tied to the sex trafficking case against rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs, reports the New York Post. Jonathan Oddi was arrested after a shootout with police. Following his arrest, he claimed he had signed a non-disclosure agreement with Combs and was used as a 'sex slave' alongside singer Cassie Ventura , who also testified against Diddy on Tuesday, accusing the rapper of being 'violent' with her. Oddi was caught on camera in May 2018 waving a US flag and shouting about Trump as he entered the Trump National Doral Golf Club . He allegedly fired shots before being taken down by officers, who shot him in the legs. He has remained in a Florida jail awaiting trial on charges including attempted murder of police officers, armed burglary, and grand theft. The claims Oddi made after his arrest are now under fresh scrutiny due to Combs' ongoing criminal case. In a police interview, Oddi told investigators: 'I had sex with Cassie and Sean. Basically, he would masturbate and tell me what to do to Cassie. I was like a sex slave. For them, that's what I was." $5 million contract and divorce with wife Oddi's statement has resurfaced just as a copy of an NDA, allegedly signed by him and Combs in Miami in 2014, emerged this week. According to Oddi, he agreed to the NDA in exchange for $5 million. His ex-wife, attorney Tonia Troutwine, told the Daily Mail that the timing of the contract coincided with their divorce. 'The date of that contract was around the same time as our divorce. I almost feel like he divorced me because he came to all this money and so I wouldn't claim it,' she said. 'But our lives were already going in different paths. I started feeling like a third wheel in someone else's life rather than a wife.' Troutwine said Oddi had begun changing after leaving his job as a stripper and getting involved in pornography. She believes he met Combs during a party at Star Island in Miami and started partying more with the rapper and Ventura. Troutwine said Oddi filed for divorce in August 2014. Troutwine recalled Oddi rushing to finalise the paperwork: 'He kept on insisting that we sign the divorce paperwork, which I thought was very odd how he wanted to get things going so quickly. It was only later that I found out he had signed this agreement.' Despite saying he had just $2,000 a month in income and was $1,800 in debt, Oddi suddenly bought five properties worth over $765,000 without any loans, raising questions about where the money came from. In his police interrogation, Oddi claimed, 'He's scared I will expose him. My settlement put me in a box. Basically, I couldn't talk because I was going to be sued. They kept following me.' It remains unclear who 'they' were. Combs, who has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty, is currently facing multiple charges in a federal sex trafficking case.
